Learn Portuguese (Portugal): O plano parecia bom; todavia, falhou. - The plan seemed good; however, it failed.

O plano parecia bom; todavia, falhou.

The plan seemed good; however, it failed.

Breakdown of O plano parecia bom; todavia, falhou.

Questions & Answers about O plano parecia bom; todavia, falhou.

Why is parecia in the imperfect tense but falhou in the preterite?

This sentence contrasts an ongoing state with a completed action. Parecia is in the imperfect because the plan seemed good over a continuous, undefined period of time in the past. Falhou is in the preterite because the actual failure was a specific, completed event that concluded the situation.

Is todavia commonly used in everyday spoken Portuguese?

Todavia (however / nevertheless) is quite formal and is mostly found in written Portuguese, literature, or formal speech. In everyday conversation, a native speaker is much more likely to use mas (but) or no entanto (however).

Could I use porém or contudo instead of todavia here?

Yes, porém, contudo, and no entanto are all completely interchangeable with todavia in this context, as they all express contrast. No entanto is the most standard choice for general use, while contudo and todavia elevate the formality of the sentence.

Why is there a semicolon before todavia and a comma after it?